Police warn of surge in Alipay and phone scams

The Judiciary Police (PJ) have reported a rise in online and phone scams, with at least 23 cases involving fake Alipay and Taobao customer service agents recorded since early June.

The total reported losses exceed MOP1.88 million.

Victims ranged from young adults to the elderly, with individual losses between MOP5,000 and MOP480,000.

According to the PJ, scammers posed as representatives from online platforms, claiming that the victim’s fund security insurance was expiring and required renewal to avoid penalties.

Victims were then contacted by fake financial service staff and asked to log into fraudulent websites, enter personal information, and share their screens or join video calls. Scammers took advantage of these calls to obtain banking details and transfer funds.

In a separate wave of fraud, over 15 complaints were filed this month involving fake buffet vouchers sold via bogus travel agency accounts on social media.

Losses amounted to at least MOP16,000. The scams used fake hotel or restaurant branding to advertise low-price offers, tricking victims into scanning QR codes that led to unverified accounts. LV